Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-09-14

tones broken by emotion: "Alice, dearest,
/ love you deeply, more than can ex-
press"
As no answer came from her lips, he con-
tined, "Alice, may hope"
Hope what, Jack ?"
"That you will accept my love and con-
sent to be my wife"
"No, Jack, am afraid cannot
ooh, why% he exclaimed in tones of
the deepest disappointment; tell me
why"
Because do not believe in the depth
or sincerity of your love. 1t is too sud
den"
But, Alice, You know that | was al
ways fond of YOU, from the time we were
children together
{" Yes, Jack, but YOU must also remem-
Der that for the last two or three years you
have avoided me and treated me almost as
a stranger"
" l own that | did not appreciate you
then as | do now; now | adore you, and |
entreat you to believe me- Put me to any
test You please. Bid me wait and serve
seven years for you, as Jacob did for
Rachel, only do not take hope from me
utterly" urged Jack, eagerly and passion
ately.
"Ah, / think your love and your pa
thence would give out long before that
time" replied she.
Try me, my darling, and you shall
see. But, Alice, do you not care at all for
me-
" Yes, Jack, 1 care great deal for you.
There Is no one else 50 dear to me-" an
swered she, frankly
"Then why will you not consent to
marry me ?"
Because must first feel absolutely sure
thar you will not change How can tell I?
Your feeling for me is of such sudden
growth that it is not likely to be very long
lived, and if the change were to come after
we were bound irrevocably to each other,
it would be terrible. But it is growing
very dark, and We ought to be going home"
continued she, rising and abruptly leaving
the pavilion.
Poor Jack followed her, deeply chagrined
and disappointed. He had expected an
easy victory. and all that he had brought
away was sense of Encouragement, if not
Of defeat. His vanity was sorely wounded,
but his love stood the blow we'll. 1t was
lOO oOCBly lOOtSu " Dc tdSllS DllPnLeu.
Besides, she had acknowledged that she
loved him, and he swore to convince her
one day and make her his own.
About week after this interview, one
of those restless persons who are never
happy unless they are seeing or doing
something, and who think that nothing,
however beautiful, is worth looking at I'M
less it is viewed by great many other
pair of eyes at the same time, chartered
a small steamer and persuaded the guests
of the hotel, young and old, to join him
in an excursion to Somes sound. Alice
had sprained her ankle badly few days
before, and was unable to put her foot to
the floor. She had forced her chaperon,
a rather giddy married woman, to leave
her to the care of one of the chambermaids
who promised to attend to her wants.
Jack, not desiring to be of the party, had
risen very early and gone off for days
fishing. The house was utterly deserted
except for the servants. About noon, Jack
finding the sun pretty hot, and having got
tired of fishing, babe the skipper, whose
boat he had hired, to return home. On
nearing the shore he was surprised to see
thick black smoke and flames issuing from
a house which seemed to be situated very
near the spot on which his hotel stood. His
heart leaped to his mouth at the sight As
soon as the boat touched the wharf, he
sprang ashore and ran rapidly up the prin-
cipal street, which was utterly deserted.
As he turned the corner he saw that it was
the hotel itself that was burning. The
street was almost blocked by crowd of
men, women and boys. The engine, of
antique fashion, had just arrived upon the
spot, and was being slowly got ready for
action by the Impractical hands of the
volunteer firemen. Jack encountered
group in which he recognized some of the
hotel servants, and he demanded in breath
less tones "if Miss Lee had been carried
out "
"Miss Leer exclaimed one of the
women, "was she in the house ?'
Yes, she was in bed with a sprained
ankle"
"Then she must be there still. God
help her, for no one has thought of her"
Without an instants delay Jack rushed
into the burning building. Great clouds
Of smoke filled the corridors and a scorch-
ing heat made itself felt as he mounted to
the third story, in which Alice's room was
situated. He heard her despairing cries
for help, and opening the door he hastened
to her bedside. With reassuring words
he wrapped her quickly in blanket, tax
ing care to cover her head, and bore her
quickly through the smoke, which had now
become very dense, to the street, and from
thence to a neighboring cottage. Upon re-
moving the blanket from her face it was
found that she had tainted, but she was
soon restored to Consciousness and able to
rejoice at her delivery from a terrible
death.
A few hours after Jack was surprised
and overjoyed to received the following
note:
Dear Jack; need no further proof of your
love than the one you gave to day. l am ready
at any time you like to acknowledge to the
world that my heart is in possession Of such
hero as yourself. Yours forever, ALICE
Saturday IraseAer.